FORT SMITH — The Northside High School Grizzlies haven’t defeated the Russellville Cyclones since 2002. They’re going to have to wait another at least another year.

Russellville snapped its two-game losing streak — and its 16-game conference losing skid — by beating Fort Smith Northside 40-19 on Friday night. It was the first time the teams had met on the football field since 2008, but the sixth consecutive win by the Cyclones over the Grizzlies.

Russellville is 7-2 against Fort Smith Northside dating back to 2000. It was the first conference win for the Cyclones since they defeated Conway 31-17 on week 9 of the 2009 season.

Russellville struck first when Jones connected with Temple-Laws on a 38-yard scoring strike, and Jose Crisostomo’s point-after kick gave the Cyclones a 7-0 lead with 7:22 to go in the first quarter. The drive covered 81 yards in six plays.

Northside (0-5, 0-2) was forced to punt, and RHS struck again. Mullen hit Kentrell Scott on a 31-yard completion to midfield, the Scott rushed twice for 22 yards. Mullen’s pass to Curtis went to the 4, and Scott then crossed the goal line for the touchdown. Mullen hit Temple-Laws on the 2-point conversion pass, and the Cyclones led 15-0 with 3:17 left in the first quarter.

The Grizzlies answered after the ensuing kickoff by returning the kick to the Russellville 44. Grey Stanton’s pass to Ernest Gray went to the 19, and another Stanton-Gray connection got to the 4. Stanton took it in from there, and his PAT was blocked by Dre Johnson to make the score 15-6 at the end of the first quarter.

Russellville made it 21-6 at the 6:44 mark of the second quarter when Jones hit Curtis on a 74-yard touchdown, Curtis’ longest of the season. The 99-yard play lasted six plays and was kept alive by a 5-yard penalty on Northside.

Stanton connected with Grant Hood on the Grizzlies’ next possession to midfield, but Stanton’s next pass was intercepted by Cyclone Kyle Roberson at the 42. RHS was forced to punt, but Reyes again pinned Northside deep in its own territory, this time the deepest they could be. Starting inside their 1, the Grizzlies gained nothing on first down, then Stanton’s fumble on second down was recovered by the Cyclones inside the 5.

E.J. Carpenter scored the 3-yard touchdown, and Russellville went on to lead 27-6 at halftime.

Fort Smith Northside turned it over again, this time recovered by Cyclone Beau Harris, but the Grizzlies got in the end zone later. Stanton hit Gray on an 18-yard pass to the 1, and Stanton took it in from there. His PAT made it 27-13 with 4:39 left in the third quarter.

When Reyes wasn’t punting to Northside deep, he recovered the Grizzlies’ fourth turnover and set up Russellville’s next touchdown. Jones’ 9-yard pass to Curtis in the end zone gave the Cyclones a 33-13 lead in the fourth quarter.

Fort Smith Northside answered on a 2-yard touchdown run by Emanuel Martinez and made the score 33-19 with 8:29 to go in the game. Mullen, who had a sure touchdown pass negated by a holding penalty earlier, tossed to Temple-Laws, who went 63 yards for the final Cyclone touchdown of the night. Crisostomo’s PAT made it 40-19. The Grizzlies were stopped on their last gasp, and sophomore quarterback Drake Adams went under center for Russellville’s final series of the game.

The Cyclones will celebrate homecoming when they host Little Rock Parkview next week.